Fluid-dispenser device conducive to reduced water consumption in a washing machine

ABSTRACT

A fluid-dispenser device for a washing machine having a wash basket is provided. The basket may define radii extending in a horizontal plane relative to a circumference in correspondence with respect to the wash basket. The device includes at least two outlet ports positioned to direct respective jets of fluid into the wash basket. Each of the jets may have a distinctive exit angle relative to a respective radius in such a horizontal plane and passing through the respective outlet ports. In another aspect thereof, each of the jets may have a generally parallel relationship with respect to one another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to washing machines, and, moreparticularly, to a fluid-dispenser device for washing machines.

A typical washing machine may have a water dispensing spout whichgenerally dispenses water at a fixed location with respect to a bundleof articles, e.g., clothes, that may be widely scattered over theinterior of a wash basket during washing and rinsing operations. Thismay result in just a small-localized fraction of the overall clothesvolume getting appropriately soaked under running water while most ofthe dispensed water initially reaches the bottom of a tub, part of whichfirst fills an annular space between the basket and the tub, causing adelayed and gradual soaking of the clothes from bottom to top with therising water level.

The rising water level and any buoyancy resulting from entrapped aircause the clothes to move upwards and float, which results in arelatively slow soaking rate and just the partial submerging of theclothes in the rising water, thus requiring relatively higher quantitiesof water to ensure appropriate wetting of the clothes. The additionalwater may also necessitate extra mechanical efforts during rotation ofan agitator in the wash basket and/or rotation of the wash basket.

At the end of a centrifugal spin-extraction process in a typicalvertical axis washer, the clothes typically get densely stacked aroundthe vertical sidewall of the basket. Smaller and medium clothes loadsmay form a lower stacked bundle around the basket sidewall, and thisbundle makes poor or no contact with the water column emerging from thespout, thus requiring relatively large quantities of water during arinsing operation.

During a washing operation, the user may desire to add various cleansingand/or conditioning agents directly into the basket, which may result ina localized dispensation of such agents relative to the scatteredclothes, thus requiring burdensome efforts to evenly apply the washingagent across the entire volume of clothes. This localized dispensationmay also cause overexposure of the localized small portion of clothes toa concentrated washing agent, which could have an adverse impact on thefabric materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Generally, aspects of the present invention fulfill the foregoing needsby providing a fluid-dispenser device for a washing machine having awash basket movable about an axis and defining radii extending in ahorizontal plane relative to a circumference in correspondence withrespect to the wash basket. The device includes at least two outletports positioned to direct respective jets of fluid into the washbasket. Each of the jets may have a distinctive exit angle relative to arespective radius in said horizontal plane and passing through therespective outlet ports. In another aspect thereof, each of the jets mayhave a generally parallel relationship with respect to one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective cutaway view of an exemplary washing machine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary control system forthe washing machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view schematic for visualizing details inconnection with a fluid-dispenser device for a washing machine.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view schematic of an exemplary fluid-dispenserdevice in the form of a pressurized annular ring.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary construction of an individual segment, as maybe used for constructing a segmented annular ring for dispensing fluid.

FIG. 6 illustrates an isometric partially cut-away view of a wash basketin combination with a fluid-dispenser device configured as an annularring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially broken away of an exemplarywashing machine 50 in which aspects of the present invention may bepracticed. It is recognized, however, that the various benefits of thepresent invention may be demonstrated in other types of washingmachines. The description of washing machine 50 below is thereforeoffered just for illustrative purposes, and in no way should beconstrued to limit application of the present invention in any aspect.

Washing machine 50 includes a cabinet 52 and a cover 54. A backsplash 56extends from cover 54, and a variety of appliance control inputselectors 60 may be mounted onto backsplash 56. Input selectors 60comprise a user interface for operator selection of operational machinecycles and modes of operation. A lid 62 is mounted to cover 54 and maybe movable between an open position facilitating access to a wash tub 64located within cabinet 52, and a closed position forming a coveredenclosure over wash tub 64.

Tub 64 includes a bottom wall 66 and a sidewall 68, and a basket 70 maybe rotatably mounted within wash tub 64. A conventional agitator,impeller, or oscillatory basket mechanism may be disposed in basket 70to agitate the articles and liquid in basket 70. The agitator and/orwash basket may be positioned to rotate or otherwise have motion, e.g.,oscillatory or wobbling motion, about an axis, such as a vertical axisor an axis with some degree of tilt.

As seen in FIG. 2, operation of machine 50 may be controlled by acontroller 138 that is operatively coupled to the user interface inputmounted on washing machine backsplash 56 (FIG. 1) for user manipulationto select washing machine cycles and operational modes. In response touser manipulation of the user interface input, controller 138 mayoperate various components of machine 50 to execute any selected machinecycles and operational modes.

In an illustrative embodiment, clothes are loaded into basket 70, and awashing operation may be initiated through operator manipulation ofcontrol input selectors 60 (FIG. 1). Tub 64 may be filled with water andmixed with detergent and optionally with other cleansing and/orconditioning agents, e.g., bleach, to form a wash fluid, and the fluidand clothes therein are agitated by the agitator for cleansing theclothes in basket 70. After a period of agitation, tub 64 may be drainedwith a suitable pump assembly 72 (FIG. 1), and basket 70 may be spun toextract wash fluid from the clothes. Clothes may then be rinsed withfresh water and basket 70 may be spun again to remove water from theclothes. Depending on the particular wash cycle selected, multiple washand spin portions of the wash cycle may be executed.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary washing machinecontrol system 150 for use with washing machine 50. Control system 150includes controller 138 that may, for example, comprise a microcomputer140 coupled to a user interface input 141. An operator may enterinstructions or select desired washing machine cycles and features viauser interface input 141, such as through input selectors 60 (FIG. 1). Adisplay or indicator 144 may be coupled to microcomputer 140 to displayappropriate messages and/or indications, such as elapsed time, and otherdata that may be of interest to washing machine users. A memory 142 mayalso be coupled to microcomputer 140 to store instructions, calibrationconstants, and other information as may be appropriate to satisfactorilycomplete any selected cycle. Memory 142 may, for example, comprise arandom access memory (RAM). In alternative embodiments, other forms ofmemory could be used in conjunction with RAM memory, including but notlimited to electronically erasable programmable read only memory(EEPROM).

Analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters (not shown) may becoupled to controller 138 to appropriately condition controller signalsand provide executable instructions to generate controller outputs tovarious washing machine components. For example, controller 138 may beoperatively coupled to a machine drive system 148 (e.g., a motor andclutch system), a brake system 151 associated with basket 70, watervalves 152 and a machine drain system 154 (e.g., a drain pump assemblyand/or drain valves) each according to techniques well-understood bythose skilled in the art.

In one exemplary embodiment, water valves 152 may be in flowcommunication with a fluid dispenser device 200 (shown in phantom inFIG. 2) embodying aspects of the present invention, as described belowin greater detail. For example, water may be mixed with detergent orother suitable agents (e.g., softeners, whiteners, etc.) to form a fluidfor cleansing and/or conditioning of the articles in wash basket 70(FIG. 1), or fresh water may be used subsequent to a wash cycle to rinsethe cleansing liquid from the garments.

In response to manipulation of user interface input 141 controller 138may monitor various operational parameters of washing machine 50 withone or more sensors or transducers 156, and controller 138 may executeoperator selected functions and features.

Aspects of the present invention relate to an improved filling, washingand rinsing system configured to effect efficient submerging andsubstantially uniform soaking of a clothes load with reduced quantity ofwater during washing and rinsing cycles of the washer. The operation ofan exemplary system may comprise creating and targeting a well-spreadarray of multiple water jets towards a widely distributed load ofarticles, e.g., clothes, inside the basket of the washing machine.

In addition, controller 138 may be configured to simultaneously commandrotation of the basket at a moderate speed during a liquid filling cyclecausing the array of water jets to sweep and directly impinge on theclothes surface several times during the entire filling cycle, thusfurther enhancing the coverage of the clothes surface exposed to thearray of water jet.

In one exemplary embodiment, the washer uses the fluid dispenser device200 for creating an array of water jets that follow desired trajectoriesunder a wide range of varying inlet pressures, thus ensuring that asufficient quantity of wash or rinse fluid dispensed in the washing andrinsing cycles directly reaches the clothes, without being obstructed bya stationary or moving part of the washer. By way of example, theclothes may be either widely distributed inside the basket, as in awashing cycle, or densely stacked around the basket vertical wall in arinsing cycle.

It will be appreciated that various factors, such as inlet waterpressure, cross-section area and angular orientation of individual jetand the number of jets may be appropriately selected for a givenapplication to determine the target location of the water jets over theclothes surface relative to a stationary basket. In one exemplaryembodiment, the trajectories and target locations of the water jets maybe made to lie on generally non-overlapping paths (e.g., parallel paths)while the basket may be rotated to broaden the coverage of the array ofwater jets.

Furthermore, a moderate swinging motion of the basket, as may beinduced, e.g., by the revolving mass of the clothes and water inside thebasket or any other swinging means, would cause a random displacement ofthe target locations of the water jets relative to the clothes surface,thus further improving the sweeping coverage of the clothes surfaceimpinged by the array of water jets. The well-spread array of waterjets, the non-overlapping paths of the target locations of each jets asdescribed above, plus the effect of any rotary and/or swinging motion ofthe basket ensure substantially faster and uniform soaking of an entirevolume clothes with less quantity of water and facilitate carrying outmultiple rinse operations with lower quantities of water and with noappreciable increases in the time for performing such multipleoperations.

Fluid dispenser device 200 facilitates multiple rinse operations withsmaller quantities of water to cause effective removal of any residualwashing agents from the washed clothes load to achieve the desired rinseperformance. The actual number of multiple rinse cycle and operationalparameters for each of these rinse cycles, such as the speed of rotationand rotation time of the basket during filling and extraction cycles,the quantity and temperature of water dispensed during each filloperation, may be either user selected or may be automatically selectedby controller 138. The selection may be based on the estimated ormeasured load sizes respectively.

As a filling/soaking process performed by fluid dispenser device 200progresses from top-to-bottom through the clothes volume, the clotheswould become heavier with the absorbed water and would tend to move andsettle towards the bottom of the basket, thus resulting in fastersoaking and better submerging of the clothes during the washing and/orrinse cycles with relatively less quantity of water and mechanicalefforts. For example, during each individual rinsing cycle, as the wateris dispensed from fluid dispenser device 200 while the basket isspinning at a moderate speed, a meniscus of water is formed raising thewater around the basket side wall thus aiding the soaking action ofdensely stacked clothes around the basket wall with a relatively lowquantity of water. A flexible inlet hose connection to fluid dispenserdevice 200 would allow unimpeded movements of the dispenser device andreduce any stretching forces acting on the hose connection during randomdisplacement of the tub with respect to the other fixed end of the inlethose.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic for visualizing some of the inventiveaspects in connection with fluid-dispenser device 200 for a washingmachine that, as described in the context of FIG. 1, may have a washbasket movable about an axis 202, e.g., a vertical axis or an axishaving some degree of tilting. The wash basket may define radii, such asradii 204 and 206 extending in a horizontal plane relative to acircumference 208 in correspondence with respect to the wash basket. Itis noted that circumference 208 need not physically align with thecircumference of the wash basket. In one exemplary embodiment,fluid-dispenser device 200 may comprise at least two outlet ports, suchas outlet ports 210 and 212 positioned to direct respective jets offluid into the wash basket. Each of the jets may have a distinctive exitangle, such as exit angles a and p relative to a respective radius inthe horizontal plane that passes through the respective outlet ports,such as radii 204 and 206. By way of example, as shown in FIG. 3, outletports 210 and 212 may be situated at different points along thecircumference in correspondence with the wash basket.

In an alternative embodiment, the outlet ports, such as ports 220 and222 may be situated at different points along a common radius 224. Asshown in FIG. 3, outlet ports 220 and 222 may be situated in a commonplane, or could be in different planes, as would be the case if ports220 and 222 were to be stacked positioned one beneath the other alongcorresponding radii. It will be appreciated that each of theseembodiments allows configuring the jets to have a generally parallelrelationship with respect to one another.

As shown in FIG. 4, fluid-dispenser device 200 may comprise apressurized annular ring 230 made up of multiple sets 232 of at leasttwo adjacent ports distributed along the circumference in correspondencewith the wash basket. In one exemplary embodiment, each jet in a set maybe configured to have a distinct exit velocity. This effect may besubstantially governed by the size of the cross section area at the exitof the outlet ports. Further, each jet or outlet port in a set may havea distinct inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane, suchas downwardly (positive), zero or upwardly (negative) inclination. Theseconfigurations may be provided individually or in any combination withthe distinctive exit angle configuration described in the context ofFIG. 3

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the multiple sets of adjacent ports may beequidistantly distributed along the circumference in correspondence withthe wash basket. Pressurized annular ring 230 may be a segmented annularring, a branched network, such as made up of a network of spaced-apartdiscrete components or may be constructed as a single-piece ring. FIG. 5shows an exemplary construction of an individual segment 234. Annularring 230 includes fluid conducting means 236 for passing pressurizedfluid from an inlet port 238 to the outlet ports therein. It will beappreciated that multiple inlet ports may be provided in fluid dispenser200 to feed different fluids simultaneously or selectively during anygiven operating cycle. Controller 138 may be configured to control theselective passing of any such different fluids. By way of example, thefluid dispensed at desired times through fluid dispenser 200 whileperforming an operational cycle, e.g., wash or rinse cycle, may comprisefresh water alone or in combination with other fluids or may comprisere-circulated water alone or in combination with other fluids.

In one exemplary embodiment dispenser 200 may comprise a fluidpressurizing device 239, e.g., a suitable pump, as may be integratedwithin the dispenser or externally to obtain a desired effect to fluidpassing through the dispenser. In addition, a pressure regulating device242, e.g., a suitable pressure regulator or accumulator, may beintegrated within the dispenser or externally to maintain a desiredlevel of pressure to fluid passing through the dispenser. A flowregulating effect or device 244, such as one or more variable areavalves, may be integrated within the dispenser or externally to achievea desired amount of flow to the fluid passing through the dispenser. Itwill be appreciated that the foregoing devices may be optionally coupledindividually or in any desired combination, depending on the fluiddispensing requirements of any given application.

FIG. 6 illustrates an isometric partially cut-away view of wash basket70 in combination with a fluid-dispenser device configured as annularring 230. Exemplary target locations 240 impinged by the water jets fromthe fluid dispenser device may be appreciated in FIG. 6. In operation,fluid dispenser device 200 allows delivering a lesser amount of fluidthan would otherwise be required to fill the wash basket to sufficientlywet any that may be articles positioned along the sidewall of thebasket. It will be appreciated that a fluid dispenser device embodyingaspects of the invention is not only conducive to achieving significantwater savings during a laundering process but also allows improveddistribution of other cleansing or conditioning agents that may be mixedwith the water.

An experimental comparison of dilution of a substance (e.g., NaCl) thatmay be analogized to the presence of detergent in clothing was performedin single and multi-stage sequential rinsing with different volumes ofwater. This study suggested that relatively a higher number of rinsingsub-cycles with smaller volumes of water would perform superior rinsingthan a single rinsing cycle (or fewer sub-cycles) with relatively morevolume of water. This study further suggested that an approximatelyequal volume of water in each sub-cycle would perform at leastanalogously if not better rinsing compared to progressively increasing(or reducing) the respective volumes of water, assuming the same numberof sub-cycles.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specificembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the inventioncan be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of theclaims.

1. A fluid-dispenser device for a washing machine having a wash basketmovable about an axis and defining radii extending in a horizontal planerelative to a circumference in correspondence with respect to said washbasket, the device comprising: at least two outlet ports positioned todirect respective jets of fluid into the wash basket, each of the jetshaving a distinctive exit angle relative to a respective radius in saidhorizontal plane and passing through the respective outlet ports.
 2. Thefluid-dispenser device of claim 1 wherein each of the outlet ports isconfigured to provide a distinctive exit velocity to the respective jetsof fluid.
 3. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 1 wherein each of theoutlet ports is configured to have a distinctive inclination anglerelative to said horizontal plane.
 4. The fluid-dispenser device ofclaim 1 wherein the at least two outlet ports are adjacent to oneanother.
 5. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 4 comprising multiplesets of at least two adjacent ports distributed along the circumferencein correspondence with the wash basket.
 6. The fluid-dispenser of claim5 wherein each of the multiple sets of adjacent ports is equidistantlydistributed along the circumference in correspondence with the washbasket.
 7. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 1 comprising apressurized annular ring.
 8. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 7wherein said pressurized annular ring comprises a segmented annularring.
 9. The fluid dispenser device of claim 7 wherein said pressurizedannular ring comprises a single-piece ring.
 10. The fluid dispenserdevice of claim 1 comprising a multi-branched network.
 11. Thefluid-dispenser device of claim 1 comprising fluid conducting means forpassing pressurized fluid from an inlet port to the outlet portstherein.
 12. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 1 comprising fluidconducting means for passing different fluids from a plurality of inletports to the outlet ports therein.
 13. The fluid-dispenser device ofclaim 1 wherein the at least two ports are situated at different pointsalong the circumference in correspondence with the wash basket.
 14. Thefluid-dispenser device of claim 1 wherein the at least two ports aresituated at different points along a common radius.
 15. Thefluid-dispenser device of claim 1 coupled to a controller configured toimpart relative motion between the outlet ports and the wash basket asthe jets of fluid are directed into the wash basket.
 16. Thefluid-dispenser device of claim 15 wherein said controller is furtherconfigured to command a spin cycle for extracting rinse-cycle fluid fromthe wash basket, said rinse-cycle fluid used during a rinse cycle. 17.The fluid-dispenser device of claim 16 wherein said controller isfurther configured to command a sequence of said rinse and spin cycles,and, during each of said rinse cycles, is configured to command deliveryof a sufficiently lesser amount of fluid that would otherwise berequired to fill said wash basket to appropriately wet articlespositioned along a side wall of the basket.
 18. The fluid-dispenserdevice of claim 12 coupled to a controller configured to command passingsaid different fluids during an operational cycle of the washingmachine, said different fluids passed in one of the following two modes:simultaneously and selectively.
 19. The fluid-dispenser device of claim1 coupled to a device selected from the group consisting of afluid-pressurizing device, a pressure-regulating device, and a flowregulating device.
 20. A fluid-dispenser device for a washing machinehaving a wash basket rotatable about a vertical axis and defining radiiextending in a horizontal plane relative to a circumference incorrespondence with respect to said wash basket, the device comprising:at least two ports positioned to direct respective jets of fluid into awash basket, each of the jets having a generally parallel relationshipwith respect to one another.
 21. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20wherein each of the outlet ports is configured to provide a distinctiveexit velocity to the respective jets of fluid.
 22. The fluid-dispenserdevice of claim 20 wherein each of the outlet ports is configured tohave a distinctive inclination angle relative to said horizontal plane.23. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20 wherein each of the outletports is configured to provide a distinctive exit angle to therespective jets of fluid relative to a respective radius in saidhorizontal plane passing through said ports.
 24. The fluid-dispenserdevice of claim 20 the at least two outlet ports are adjacent to oneanother.
 25. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 24 comprising multiplesets of adjacent ports distributed along the along the circumference incorrespondence with the wash basket.
 26. The fluid-dispenser of claim 25wherein each of the multiple sets of adjacent ports is equidistantlydistributed along the circumference in correspondence with the washbasket.
 27. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20 comprising apressurized annular ring.
 28. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20wherein said pressurized annular ring comprises a segmented annularring.
 29. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20 wherein the at leasttwo ports are situated at different points along the circumference incorrespondence with the wash basket.
 30. The fluid dispenser device ofclaim 27 wherein said pressurized annular ring comprises a single-piecering.
 31. The fluid dispenser device of claim 20 comprising amulti-branched network.
 32. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20wherein the at least two ports are situated along a common radius. 33.The fluid-dispenser device of claim 20 coupled to a controllerconfigured to impart relative rotation between the outlet ports and thewash basket as the jets of fluid are directed into the wash basket. 34.The fluid-dispenser device of claim 33 wherein said controller isfurther configured to command a spin cycle for extracting rinse-cyclefluid from the wash basket, said rinse-cycle fluid used during a rinsecycle.
 35. The fluid-dispenser device of claim 34 wherein saidcontroller is further configured to command a sequence of said rinse andspin cycles, and, during each of said rinse cycles, is configured tocommand delivery of a sufficiently lesser amount of fluid that wouldotherwise be required to fill said wash basket to appropriately wetarticles positioned along a side wall of the basket.
 36. A method fordelivering rinsing fluid to articles in a washing machine having a washbasket rotatable about a vertical axis, the wash basket defining radiiextending in a horizontal plane relative to a circumference incorrespondence with respect to said wash basket, the method comprising:directing respective jets of fluid into the wash basket from at leasttwo outlet ports; and configuring each of the jets to have a generallyparallel relationship with respect to one another.
 37. The method ofclaim 36 further comprising providing a distinctive exit velocity to therespective jets of fluid.
 38. The method of claim 36 further comprisingconfiguring each of the outlet ports to have a distinctive inclinationangle relative to said horizontal plane.
 39. The method of claim 36further comprising configuring each of the outlet ports to provide adistinctive exit angle to the respective jets of fluid relative to arespective radius in said horizontal plane passing through said ports.40. The method of claim 36 further comprising imparting relative motionbetween the outlet ports and the wash basket as the jets of fluid aredirected into the wash basket.
 41. The method of claim 36 wherein eachjet of fluid is configured to directly impinge on articles that may bepositioned along a sidewall of the wash basket.
 44. The method of claim41 further comprising a spin cycle for extracting rinse-cycle fluid fromthe wash basket, said rinse-cycle fluid used during a rinse cycle. 45.The method of claim 44 further comprising a sequence of said rinse andspin cycles, and, during each of said rinse cycles, delivering a lesseramount of fluid that would otherwise be required to fill said washbasket to sufficiently wet the articles positioned along the side wallof the basket.